Here's your replacement
by Ififall
Summary: Elena is ready to go out onto the field with her team. When Carolyn makes a few changes, they both confront each other with a few home truths.


"I've got the purple Velcro trainers, that coats the footprints with paste, so I'm undetectable. I'll go in. The guards will be injected with Ricin. It will be harmless. Hopefully the doors will be activated. We'll get the papers. I'll go through the linqiust sector, and through the vent. Tommy will say that I went to bed early. He schmoozes for about thirty five minutes and I can finally change into clothing that doesn't make me look like a Five pound stripper"

"Sounds like you have everything under control. But Tommy can't make the fundraiser" Carolyn told her, cutting the crusts on her sandwich.

"What? Okay I can take Eve. She needs to go out after all the bollocks that Nico's putting her through right now" Elena shrugged.

"No need, you do have a replacement, who has been informed"

* * *

"Great, who is it?" Elena asked.

"Kenny"

"Kenny who?" Elena said waiting for a surname.

"As in _my son_ Kenny. He's currently packing now to assist you tomorrow" Carolyn told her .

"Carolyn. With all due respect. I don't think Kenny should be going out onto the field. He's not experienced. His last combat training session was over two years ago. His social skills...can be...lacking. Condit's gang is vicious. If everything goes tits up, I'm going to have to use double the time, energy and team-mates to get him out of trouble. He's such a sweet guy, but he's not an agent. I'm going to request another replacement"

* * *

Carolyn took a bite of her ham sandwich, before pouring out a light shandy into a glass. Elena couldn't tell if she'd crossed a line. She didn't want to put everyone in danger and she would have to give Carolyn her honest opinion.

"A request to replace my son?" Carolyn asked.

"Yes Maam"

"That request will be denied"

"Wow" Elena chuckled. You're really happy putting Kenny out into the field like this?"

* * *

"Happy isn't the word. I'm content. And yes, I'm content putting him out onto the field with you"

Elena shook her head as she looked around the kitchen. After being in Carolyn's home a few times, at first glance a visitor wouldn't realise that she had children. There were no pictures of her son on the walls. No paintings or drawings he did as a child, no pictures of him winning awards or trophies growing up. A visitor could see that Carolyn was a hard worker, who travelled the world. But every now and again, Elena couldn't see her as a mother.

"People will never assume Kenny and I are a couple"

"Really? It's not that hard to believe"

* * *

"It sure is" Elena started to argued

"It wasn't a fantasy when you two kissed at the MI:6 quiz night outside the "Cains" bar thirteen months ago" Carolyn said.

"I wouldn't expect you to believe that kind of salacious gossip Ma'am"

"Don't Maam me Elena. That wasn't gossip, Kenny told me"

"Told you?" Elena squeaked before tapping the table and lowering her voice. "It was one drunken kiss after a few shots. Nothing will, or has happened since"

* * *

"Why not?" Carolyn asked getting up and taking her plate to the sink. She returned with a small bottle of orange juice. which Elena suspiciously took.

She decided to keep it short and sweet. She knew she'd find herself in a MI:6 spider web if she took it further with Kenny. It would be weird, working for Carolyn and dating her son. She didn't know how that would look. In fact she did, and that's what she was worried about.

"I assume Kenny's taken"

"He's not" Carolyn told her.

* * *

"We don't know that. He could be chatting up girls online as we speak"

"All of which he would toss aside for you" Carolyn added. "Do you have any other requests, before I wrap this up?"

"Yeah, have you got any latte sachets? I fancy a coffee and some carrot cake" Elena asked rubbing her stomach.

"No, but it's getting late. You can stay in the spare room if you please" Carolyn said getting up.

* * *

It was a nice gesture, but Elena was still confused. She'd just told her boss that she was going to request her replacement. She'd insulted her to her face about her son not being suitable for the field. But here she was, going up Carolyn's stairs and taking the spare room on the far -right. There was clothing on the bed, so she showered and got changed. It was a nerve racking sleep. She really didn't want to offend Carolyn. She realised whatever her boss said, had to go ahead, and she would apologise to her in the morning.

Elena woke up with a brighter attitude, and a rumbling stomach. She smiled as she saw a_ star-bucks_ latte, Toast, and a box of M&S Carrot Cake on the side.

She immediately goes downstairs. Checks her hair in the mirror and knocks on the kitchen door.

* * *

"Good morning Carolyn, thanks for the Toast, Coffee and Cake it was very sweet of you!"

Carolyn turns around with a skillet of bacon and a spatula. "Good morning Elena, I'm actually making breakfast now. I didn't buy you anything this morning" Carolyn said as she turned around to put the bread in the toaster.


End file.
